2027: South-East APC Leaders Back Governors as Wike Dispute Escalates

The political disagreement between the Progressive Governors’ Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has intensified, with APC leaders in the South-East declaring their support for the party’s governors ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The South-East APC leadership also opposed the emerging Rainbow Coalition associated with Wike, arguing that the coalition could affect the electoral prospects of APC candidates in the region, including President Bola Tinubu.

The latest development followed Wike’s continued defence of his political alliance, which he has said is aimed at supporting Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office.

The FCT minister has also criticised some APC governors, accusing them of not doing enough for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.

He recently questioned the performance of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma during the 2023 election, citing the disparity between APC’s senatorial results in the state and the presidential vote secured by Tinubu.

The disagreement has also attracted criticism from APC figures outside the South-East, including Farouk Aliyu, a founding member of the party in Jigawa State and former minority leader of the House of Representatives.

South-East APC Backs Progressive Governors

The South-East position was contained in a joint statement signed by the APC National Vice Chairman for the South-East, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, and the chairmen of the party in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

The party leaders said the position of the Progressive Governors’ Forum was important to the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

They also criticised Wike’s recent comments about members of the forum, describing the remarks as “most unfortunate, reprehensible and completely unacceptable.”

According to the South-East APC leaders, the governors under criticism had undertaken development projects in their respective states and secured more than 25 per cent of the presidential vote in 2023.

They stated that the governors should be assessed on their records in office, stressing that the “Progressive Governors are not abstract politicians; they are performing leaders whose records speak for themselves.”

The leaders further alleged that Wike was working against the political interests of some serving APC governors ahead of the 2027 elections.

They argued that a minister did not have authority over elected state governors and called for restraint in political exchanges within the ruling party.

“It is more troubling that Wike’s growing tendency to insult, diminish and plot to remove sitting Progressive Governors in 2027 is increasing each day,” it said.

The South-East APC leadership called on Wike to withdraw what it described as attacks on members of the party and return to “party discipline, mutual respect and collective responsibility.”

The leaders also rejected what they described as the “rainbow (chameleon) coalition” and said the APC would defend its structures across the South-East.

“We in the South-East stand solidly with all Progressive Governors and candidates of our party at all levels in the forthcoming 2027 elections,” they said.

They also declared that the APC is “bigger than any individual”, while urging members to support the party’s candidates across the ballot, from the presidential level to the State Houses of Assembly.

Aliyu Defends APC Governors

Meanwhile, former APC governorship candidate in Jigawa State and party chieftain Farouk Aliyu has criticised Wike’s description of APC governors as “lazy”.

Speaking during a televised interview on Arise TV, Aliyu said the characterisation was not accepted by the leadership and membership of the ruling party.

He said the dispute had emerged from the increasingly public disagreement between Wike, who remains a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and members of the APC’s Progressive Governors’ Forum.

Aliyu acknowledged Wike’s contribution to Tinubu’s 2023 electoral victory but argued that his continued public criticism of APC leaders could create tensions within the ruling party.

He also maintained that political differences should be managed within established party structures.

‘Wike adequately compensated for supporting Tinubu’

Aliyu argued that Wike had already been rewarded for his support for Tinubu during the 2023 election through his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

While praising Wike’s performance in the FCT, he cautioned against what he described as public attacks on APC leaders, specifically referring to comments involving Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Aliyu urged APC members to avoid allowing the disagreement to distract them from their responsibilities and the party’s preparations for the next elections.

“I call on my party members not to join issues with Wike, let it not be a distraction to us. We have a party to run, we have a country to run,” he said and urged Wike “that tries to help the president, to be humble, to talk to people in a nice way, try to appeal to the sensibilities of Nigerians.”

He continued: “There are certain things that as a government, people are not happy with us. So, it is very uncalled for, for someone that is trying to help us, to be insulting members of our party.

“So, yes, we’re not happy with his comments, and we hope he will also desist from these kinds of comments so that it does not overheat the polity. I mean the country, it’s not just APC.”

Jibrin Urges APC Leaders to Avoid Public Confrontation

Another APC chieftain and federal lawmaker, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has meanwhile appealed to party leaders who disagree with Wike to avoid publicly embarrassing the FCT minister.

Jibrin, a former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, spoke on Wednesday night during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He argued that Wike had played a significant role in the political developments that resulted in Tinubu’s 2023 victory and had continued to contribute to the administration.

“There is no APC member in Nigeria today that has not directly or indirectly benefited from the efforts of Wike, so long as delivering the President, also managing the government, also performing his work, there is nobody.”

Jibrin further described Wike as an important political figure whose contribution should be acknowledged by members of the ruling party.

“Wike is an asset to APC, he has sacrificed so much for the President and the APC. I don’t think Wike should be embarrassed at this moment with public statements.”

He was responding to criticism directed at Wike by some APC governors, including those in Kwara and Imo, over his involvement with the Rainbow Coalition while remaining a member of the PDP.

Jibrin added, “In reality, we should be fair to him; he has done far more than that.”

Shettima Clarifies Northern Governors’ Position

Amid the political exchanges, the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima has also clarified remarks attributed to the Vice President concerning Northern governors and their support for President Tinubu.

A statement issued by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima’s reference to six Northern governors related specifically to political consultations before the APC presidential primary in June 2022.

The statement explained that “the Vice President’s reference to six Northern governors, who believed in and supported President Tinubu, was specifically about political consultations and alignments preceding the APC presidential primary in June 2022.”

It added: “It was not a comment on the position of Northern APC governors following President Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s candidate, nor was it intended to question their support during the 2023 presidential election.”

According to the statement, APC governors in Northern states subsequently supported Tinubu after he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate and participated in the campaign that preceded the 2023 general election.

“VP Shettima holds the Northern governors and other leaders of the APC in high regard and recognises their individual and collective contributions to the success of the party and the emergence of President Tinubu.

“The Vice President regrets any interpretation of his remarks that may have suggested otherwise and hopes this clarification places the comments in their proper context.

“VP Shettima also appreciates the Nigerian media for its longstanding professionalism and constructive engagement with his office and urges continued accuracy and context in the reporting of public remarks as the country approaches another political season,” the statement added.